Improvement in compositions for dyeing the hair



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTE GRANDJEAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOSITIONS FOR LDYEING THE HAIR.

Specification forming part of Letters vPatent No 3,453, dated February28, 1844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTE GRANDJEAN, of the city of New York, N. Y.,have invented .a new, useful, and improved composition of Venetian redof commerce, in a dry state, and

mix these three substances thoroughly. Then take of the fused yellowprotoxide of lead, (known as the litharge of commerce,) eight parts, byweight, and add it gradually, being careful to stir the whole massrapidly while adding the litharge, .in order to prevent a deposition orprecipitation of the litharge to the bottom, and make a thoroughlymingled mixture of thesesubstances. This being done, now add a quantityof distilled water, (pure rain-water will answer, however,). in whichhas been dissolved a small portion of gumarabic or other mucilaginoussubstance, merely sufiicient to make the water very slightlymucilaginous. The quantity of this gum-water to be added to theaforesaid mixture should be enough to convert it into a slightly liquidpaste. After this gum-water has been added, stir the paste carefully forseveral hours about six hours. It should then remain in some suitablevessel for "about eight days, during which period it should be stirredfor about two hours in each day, and until it shall have become nearlydry, which will be the case at about the expiration of that time. To thecomposition in this state then add one part, by weight, ofwell-pulverized brick, and again be it observed, it is requisite to mixthis pulverized brick with care. This being done, the composition may bespread or rolledupon a table in proper thickness'to suit the intendedform or mold, and when it shall have dried sufficiently to take and keepthe shape intended without sticking, mold or shape it in the formdesired, andlet it dry completely. It will then be a solid mass andsuitable for use. It may I be used by applying it when wet to the hair,

and then covering the hair from the light and air, as other hair-dyeshave been used but the method that I prefer is to dip the American Brickinto water, and then to rub it upon the hair which itis proposed tochange in its color; and when sufficient of the composition shall havebeen rubbed off to cover each fiber or hair it is to be permitted toremain thereon,

care being had whenever the composition on the hair dries to keep itmoist by applying a wet sponge or cloth or other appropriate thing tokeep it moist until the desired shade or color shall be obtained. Thedifferent degrees or shades of color are made according as the period oftime during which the composition is kept upon the hair be lengthened orshortened.

Heretofore lime and litharge have been used with perhaps othersubstances in compound; but I do not know or believe that Venetian red,pulverized brick, and gum-water, or either of themhave been used incompound with these substances, and I claim that it is thisnewcombination of substances which makes my composition superior to anyever before made. A knowledge of the chemical effects of thesesubstances or practice will prove that'the addition of these substancesmodify or mitigate the burning or corrosive effect of the others, andconsequently it is that my composition does not destroy or injure thetexture or fiber of the L hair; and I do here state that I do not claimto be able to change all shades of hair to any other mentioned shade;but merely that my American Brick will change a certain shade or colorof hair to someshade that shall be darker than the original one-as, forinstance, light blondehair to any darker shade, but not a dark or blackshade to a lighter one. A few hours have been required heretofore toproduce a,

dark black, and in sodoing the fiber of the hair was burnt or corroded,whereas my American Brick to produce'the darkest black re-.

quires that the composition be kept upon the hair for about fourteenhours, and when lighter shades are desired a shorter period of time isnecessary-as, for instance, a dark chestnut is produced in about sixhours, a lighter chestnut in about four hours, a very light brown inabout three hours, a deep blonde in about one hour and a half, an infants blonde in about with proper care and as I have set forth above,

half of an hour, and the different shades be- I tween these mentioned inproportional periods of time. It is,however, necessary to have the hairwell cleansed from grease or oily matter before the composition beapplied. I

I do claim as my invention the above-described composition of matter,(which I call Grandjeans American Brick,) to be made in the manner asherein described, with the substances and in the parts or pr0portions,byweight, .as'hereinbefore particularly set forth; but I do not mean toconfine myself to the very exact amounts or parts, by weight, as hereinstated, for a small difference in the amount of one or another part maynot effect any material difference in the result produced; but I haveascertained by experiment that the hereinbeforementioned parts of l thesubstances specified will, when properly compounded, make a compositionwhich will, when applied change the color of hair to darker shades ofcolor and produce various beautiful shades without burning/ as it iscommonly called, or injuring the texture orfiber of hair, and hereinconsists, mainly, the advantage of my improved comp0sition-viz., thecapacity to produce various darker shades of color in hair,

applied in the manner and state as: I have above described,withoutinjuring the texture or fiber of hair, together, also, with the im-'provement in the condition or density of the and transportation.

It is not intended to be stated that the abovespecified substances canbe used or compounded only in the specified or particular parts, and notin other parts or proportions differing in quantity from those I havespecified, for no doubt a difference in proportions of said substancesmay produce very nearly the same effects; and j I desire to claim as myinvention- The union or compounding of the abovementioned substances invarying proportions, such as experience shall dictate to be the betterand will produce similar effects to those hereinbefore statedviz., tochange the color of hair..

AUGUsTEcRANDJEAN.

In presence of- 7 CAMBRIDGE LIVINGSTON, D. HOWIT.

